Tips On Keeping Positive

I get told almost all of the time that I am a positive person, so much so that people tell me they find it hard to understand how I am so happy all of the time. I am, Along with my friend Alisha, an inspirer/campaigner (ENFP in the 16 personality test which I filled in about a year ago, you can find here if you want to try it out yourself!) I am obviously not happy 100% of the time as, like most people in the world, have bad days. Being ENFP also means that I am over emotional, so when I am sad I get really sad. For example, when my friends and I are going through a tough time with deadlines (my course always seems to have all the deadlines at once) I am often extremely positive and I find myself encouraging my friends to keep going. However, there does come a point where I may feel like I won’t be able to get my work done and I feel like I have failed myself. This is the time that my over emotional trait is extremely annoying as I completely overreact. When you get into that negative mindset, it can be quite hard to get out of it, especially if you are really upset. I have decided to share with you all my tips on how to keep positive. I do these things in my everyday life and when I am feeling negative. Hope you enjoy!

1. Do something good for somebody else.
I find that helping somebody gives me the best kind of happiness in the world. Whether this is helping an elderly person in the street with a heavy bag, giving a homeless person some spare change or something to eat, or simply asking somebody how they are and having a chat with them as something like that can really make a persons day.

2. Smile
Smiling releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin, so it is bound to make you feel better. You also have the chance of getting a smile back which is obviously going to make you feel great. As we all know, smiling is in fact, infectious so why not spread the positivity around?

3. Surround yourself with only positive people
They say that negative people bring you down – that is because they do. If somebody is spreading negative energy and you are around them all of the time, it is easy for them to drag you down with them. I am lucky that I have a lot of beautiful, positive friends and I believe that is one of the reasons I stay so positive myself.

4. Read positive quotes
My favourite images on Instagram are the ones with positive quotes. I just love them! Even if they only give you half an ounce of positivity – it is still something! One of my favourite (and equally as long) inspiring and motivational quotes is the quote below by Mother Theresa. I believe that even if you are not religious, it is still incredibly inspiring and reminds us that we should not let others bring us down or determine our happiness.

“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

5. Don’t play the victim
I have to say that I have done this myself as it is such an easy thing to do! But I have sound that playing victim DOES NOT HELP. (sorry for the capitals – It looks so angry!) In fact, it makes you feel worse. It gives you an excuse to be sad and negative.

6. List as many things as you can that you are grateful for in your life
When you are feeling low it can sometimes be hard to remember how lucky you are with everything positive going on in your life. Once you list them, you are literally sat looking at all of the positive things in your life. What better way to feel positive? I am lucky enough to say that my list seems endless at the moment!

7. Listen to your favourite music (obvs not your fave Adelle song though)
There is nothing that makes me feel more positive than a good old Oasis album. Music is so influential and really does affect our moods. Just think – why do so many people go to festivals?

8. Try to turn everything into a positive
This is something I do all the time. I don’t know how I do this myself but I guess it is almost instinct now! It may sound stupid but if you try to turn any thoughts you have throughout the day into positive thoughts, think of how positive you would be? ‘I have such a long shift today’ can be turned into ‘I really enjoy my job – I am glad I am sharing my long day with great people’. ‘I have to get up early today’ can be turned into ‘The day can be longer and it is so sunny outside!’. ‘I can’t believe I have to fold 300 napkins’ can mean ‘I love the way the napkins are folded – it is like orogami!’. And something as simple as ‘I am really hungry’ can be ‘I can’t wait for lunch’. (Okay – maybe I do complain about being hungry a lil bit!)

I think it is really important to realise that in the western world we live in, we are all so lucky. We have so much to be thankful for and so much love to share with the world. I hope this post helped you feel positive! Have a lovely day!